Friends, family remember teen killed in crash
By ERIC SCHELKOPF - eschelkopf@kcchronicle.com
|
| Sandy Bressner – sbressner@kcchronicle.com
Friends and family members look at pictures of Cameron Godee through the years during a memorial service for the St. Charles East graduate Wednesday at Onesti Dinner Club, where he worked at the restaurant and lounge as a bus boy. Godee was killed in a car crash June 14. |
ST. CHARLES – Ron Onesti remembered how Cameron Godee used to do a little dance as he bussed tables at Onesti Dinner Club.
“His role as busboy was secondary to showing who he was and his personality,” said Onesti, who owns the restaurant. “I think he will always be here, a part of us.”
Onesti was among those friends and family members who remembered Godee’s fun-loving nature during a memorial service Wednesday at the restaurant. Godee, 17, of West Chicago, was killed in an early morning crash on June 14.
“We wanted to do something for him,” said Kate Bell, the restaurant’s general manager. “He was part of this family.”
Godee recently graduated from St. Charles East High School and was a passenger in a 2005 Ford Explorer being driven by Onofrio Lorusso, 18, of Wayne, who is charged with four counts of reckless homicide and 12 counts of aggravated DUI.
At the time of the crash, prosecutors said, Lorusso’s blood alcohol level was 0.227 – more than twice the state’s 0.08 legal limit – and he had marijuana in his system.
Lorusso also just graduated from St. Charles East High School.
Photos of a happy and athletic Godee were on display during the memorial service.
Fellow St. Charles East graduates Courtney Dissette and Alex Contreras were eyeing photos of Godee playing baseball. He was also a member of the St. Charles rugby team.
Dissette said she was shocked when she heard the news about the accident that morning.
“I didn’t believe it at first,” Dissette said. “I thought it was just a rumor.”
She had known him since the third grade.
“He was always a lot of fun,” Dissette said. “He had so many friends.”
Contreras said Godee was one of his first friends at St. Charles East.
“He made me laugh,” Contreras said. “He definitely did a good job of making people laugh.”
Contreras said the accident served as a “wake-up call” to St. Charles East.
“I think the whole town was shocked how it happened,” he said.
A memorial fund has been set up in his name that will go toward helping the Salvation Army.
His mother, Mary Lynn Godee, said he had a passion for helping people in need.
“He just wanted to give,” she said.
What: Cameron Godee Memorial Fund
To Give: Gifts may be mailed or made in person at American Eagle Bank, 556 Randall Road, South Elgin, IL 60177, 847-742-7400.
